Markets and Governance in China's Urban Transformation

China has been undergoing rapid urbanisation since the beginning of the economic reforms in 1978. Large numbers of people have migrated from rural to urban areas. At the same time market forces have come into play, and have affected the layout and nature of cities. However, although state control over urban development has weakened from the socialist model of pre-reform times, it continues to have a big impact. This book explores the interplay of market and government in shaping urban development. It outlines the nature of urban development in China, examines the extent to which the markets in land and housing affect development, and discusses the impact of non-market forces including citizen participation in governance. The book concludes by assessing how markets and the state promotion of markets are likely to affect urban development going forward.

Zhihua Zhou is a Visiting Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore